Untitled (young man and woman dancing) 1965

This undated silver gelatin print by Robert Burian, shows a young man and woman dancing, an image caught in the chemical bath of photography, with its own unique development process. The negative space is just as important as the figures, creating a world of stark contrasts. It's the kind of image where the darkness and light aren't just opposites, they're dancing too. The image has this ghostly quality. The way the light bleeds around the edges of the figures, softening their forms. It almost feels like they're not quite there, caught between reality and memory. See the piano in the background? It's like a specter, a reminder of the music that fills the room. I’m reminded of Weegee, with his flashbulb capturing New York nightlife, though here there's an intimacy, a quietness that pulls you in. Art, like a good dance, is all about timing, about finding the right balance between holding on and letting go.